Arjun had barely sat down with his laptop when chaos broke out in the living room.
His aunt was on the phone, frantically confirming numbers. His mother was rushing around the kitchen, muttering about "extra plates" and "enough chairs."
By the time he pieced it together, the truth hit him — they were hosting a small family gathering that night.
And his mother had just volunteered him to make chicken curry.
The problem?
He could only make tea and rice.
That's when he saw MoonInk was online.
IronQuill:Emergency.
MoonInk:What happened? Did you run out of tea?
IronQuill:Worse. I have to cook chicken for ten people.
MoonInk:...You? The guy whose only skill is boiling rice?
IronQuill:Exactly why I'm here. I need help.
MoonInk:I can't exactly cook it for you through the internet.
IronQuill:No, but you can guide me. Like… step-by-step. Live.
There was a pause before her next message came.
MoonInk:That's going to take a lot of back-and-forth. And if anyone else sees our chat on the app, well…
He knew what she meant. Their usernames were still their shield. Too much real-time detail could slip through.
IronQuill:Then give me your number. I'll delete it right after cooking if you want.
Another pause. Then:
MoonInk:No. I'll email it to you. Safer.
He grinned. She wasn't saying yes outright, but she wasn't saying no either. Minutes later, his inbox pinged.
Subject:For Chicken Purposes Only
Body:Here's the number. Don't abuse it, chef.
He couldn't resist replying before calling her:
Subject:For Chicken Purposes Only — Noted
Body:Prepare to witness culinary history.
When he finally dialed, her voice was softer than he'd imagined — calm, patient, with a hint of amusement every time he panicked over spices.
"No, Arjun, you don't just dump the chili powder. Measure it."
"You forgot the onions? That's step one!"
"Okay… now taste it— wait, you actually tasted it before it was fully cooked?!"
By the end of the night, his family was praising the dish like he'd been cooking for years.
He didn't tell them about the girl on the other end of the phone, guiding him through every step.
But when he texted her later, it was simple:
IronQuill:Couldn't have done it without you.
MoonInk:Guess I'm more useful than I thought.
IronQuill:Much more.
And for the first time, the line between usernames and real people felt thinner than ever.